NameCensus.

UK surname

Healey

Derived from a place name meaning "healing wood" or "healthy wood" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 4,880 people recorded with the Healey surname, ranking it #913 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,744, ranked #857, up from #913 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Rutland and Tameside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Healey is 8,288 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.7%.

1881 census count

4,880

Ranked #913

Modern count

7,744

2016, ranked #857

Peak year

2000

8,288 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Healey had 4,880 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #913 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,744 in 2016, ranked #857.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,865 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Healey surname distribution map

The map shows where the Healey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Healey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Healey over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 2,676 #1,103
1861 historical 3,169 #912
1881 historical 4,880 #913
1891 historical 5,173 #910
1901 historical 6,417 #866
1911 historical 6,865 #751
1997 modern 8,014 #797
1998 modern 8,249 #804
1999 modern 8,249 #818
2000 modern 8,288 #805
2001 modern 8,059 #807
2002 modern 8,169 #814
2003 modern 7,913 #819
2004 modern 7,855 #827
2005 modern 7,708 #831
2006 modern 7,741 #826
2007 modern 7,789 #830
2008 modern 7,828 #833
2009 modern 8,067 #827
2010 modern 8,151 #837
2011 modern 8,036 #837
2012 modern 7,789 #845
2013 modern 7,916 #846
2014 modern 7,953 #842
2015 modern 7,795 #856
2016 modern 7,744 #857

Geography

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Where Healeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Rutland, Tameside and Blaenau Gwent. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 011 Kirklees
2 Rutland 001 Rutland
3 Tameside 027 Tameside
4 Kirklees 018 Kirklees
5 Blaenau Gwent 002 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Healey

These lists show first names that appear often with the Healey surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Healey

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Healey, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Healey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Healey household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Healey is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Healey is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Healey falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Healey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Healey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Healey

The surname Healey is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hæl", meaning "healthy" or "sound". It is a locational surname, referring to a person who lived in a place called Healey or Hea Leah, meaning "high wood" or "high clearing".

The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hela" and "Helia". One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, which mention a "William de Heley".

In the 13th century, the surname was commonly spelled as "Heley" or "Heleye". By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved to "Helay" and "Healey". The variant spellings "Healy" and "Hely" also emerged during this period.

The Healey surname is particularly prevalent in Lancashire, where there are several places named Healey, including Healey in Rochdale and Healey in Burnley. The name is also found in Yorkshire, Cheshire, and other parts of northern England.

Notable individuals with the surname Healey include:

1. Denis Healey (1917-2015), a British Labour politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Defence. 2. John Healey (born 1960), a British Labour politician and Member of Parliament for Wentworth and Dearne. 3. Patrick Healey (1939-2015), an American actor known for his roles in films like "Reservoir Dogs" and "The Fugitive". 4. Mary Healey (1836-1926), an English feminist and advocate for women's suffrage. 5. Michael Healey (born 1966), a Canadian playwright and screenwriter known for works like "The Drawer Boy" and "Mustard".

The Healey surname has a long and rich history, reflecting its origins in the English countryside and its widespread presence across various regions of England. It has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including politicians, actors, and writers, contributing to the cultural tapestry of the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Healey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Healey surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 1,602 Healeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.83x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,602 2.83x
Yorkshire 603 1.28x
Middlesex 481 1.01x
Cheshire 235 2.23x
Lincolnshire 187 2.45x
Surrey 151 0.65x
Warwickshire 129 1.07x
Leicestershire 125 2.36x
Worcestershire 118 1.89x
Buckinghamshire 101 3.50x
Kent 87 0.53x
Staffordshire 82 0.51x
Rutland 71 20.26x
Northamptonshire 67 1.49x
Gloucestershire 64 0.68x
Shropshire 64 1.55x
Durham 62 0.44x
Lanarkshire 59 0.38x
Hampshire 51 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 46 0.72x
Hertfordshire 44 1.34x
Devon 40 0.40x
Glamorgan 40 0.48x
Sussex 38 0.47x
Essex 30 0.32x
Derbyshire 29 0.39x
Bedfordshire 28 1.13x
Berkshire 22 0.61x
Northumberland 22 0.31x
Flintshire 21 1.64x
Monmouthshire 21 0.61x
Oxfordshire 21 0.71x
Midlothian 18 0.28x
Channel Islands 16 1.13x
Herefordshire 16 0.82x
Somerset 16 0.21x
Cornwall 14 0.26x
Royal Navy 10 1.76x
Cumberland 9 0.22x
Isle of Man 9 1.02x
Brecknockshire 6 0.63x
Westmorland 6 0.57x
Suffolk 5 0.09x
Stirlingshire 4 0.23x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.16x
Norfolk 3 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.16x
Inverness-shire 2 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.13x
Renfrewshire 2 0.05x
Anglesey 1 0.12x
Ayrshire 1 0.03x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.11x
Wigtownshire 1 0.16x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 125 Healeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.63x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 125 3.63x
Oldham 97 5.31x
Manchester 90 3.53x
Wardleworth 90 27.81x
Salford 75 4.50x
Batley 65 14.46x
Great Bolton 58 7.73x
St Pancras London 57 1.48x
Leicester St Margaret 53 4.11x
Castleton 47 8.31x
Ashton Under Lyne 45 3.64x
Aston 44 1.33x
St Marylebone London 43 1.69x
Hulme 39 3.30x
Dukinfield 38 7.81x
Little Bolton 38 5.22x
Spotland 38 6.04x
Dewsbury 35 7.22x
Worsley 35 10.03x
Bromsgrove 34 16.21x
Toxteth Park 34 1.77x
Newington 33 1.87x
Birkenhead 32 3.81x
West Derby 32 1.93x
Wyke In Bradford 32 37.84x
Blackburn 31 2.06x
Gorton 31 5.82x
Shoreditch London 31 1.50x
Brinnington 30 30.49x
Islington London 30 0.65x
Holy Trinity 28 2.46x
Bowling 27 5.76x
Burnley 26 5.45x
Heap 26 8.66x
Kirkdale 26 2.73x
Lambeth 26 0.62x
Over Darwen 25 5.53x
Bootle Cum Linacre 24 5.34x
Bury 24 3.71x
Wellington 24 10.36x
Wooburn 24 60.36x
Rastrick 23 17.51x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 22 2.50x
Crumpsall 22 16.48x
Garston 22 13.16x
Stockport 22 4.06x
Belgrave 21 17.59x
Govan 21 0.55x
Clifton On Dunsmore 20 205.34x
Kensington London 20 0.75x
Northampton Priory St 20 7.43x
Radcliffe 20 7.33x
Wuerdle Wardle 20 11.64x
Mile End Old Town London 19 1.87x
Saddleworth 19 5.21x
St Nicholas Lincoln 19 26.05x
Tewkesbury 19 22.75x
Wigan 19 2.40x
Atherton 18 8.73x
Everton 18 1.00x
St Martin In Fields 18 6.30x
Ardwick 17 3.33x
Bermondsey 17 1.20x
Hammersmith London 17 1.45x
Sheffield 17 1.13x
Totternhoe 17 147.19x
Bedwellty 16 2.63x
Farnworth 16 4.72x
Manningham 16 2.75x
Preston 16 1.06x
St Helier 16 3.48x
Butterworth 15 10.87x
Chelsea London 15 1.04x
Hunslet 15 2.03x
Limehouse London 15 2.86x
Nuneaton 15 10.76x
Stoke Damerel 15 2.16x
Blatchinworth 14 10.86x
Sutton 14 8.32x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 14 8.59x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Healey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 393
Sarah 184
Elizabeth 175
Ann 115
Ellen 91
Jane 82
Annie 76
Catherine 74
Margaret 74
Eliza 65
Alice 61
Hannah 55
Emma 46
Martha 46
Bridget 39
Harriet 33
Emily 32
Kate 26
Caroline 23
Fanny 23
Agnes 20
Clara 20
Maria 20
Charlotte 19
Louisa 19
Ada 18
Anne 16
Frances 16
Harriett 16
Edith 15
Lucy 15
Julia 14
Rose 14
Rebecca 13
Sophia 13
Susan 13
Elizth. 12
Amelia 11
Betsy 11
Eleanor 10
Esther 10
Florence 10
Bertha 8
Betty 8
Laura 8
Rachel 8
Ruth 8
Winifred 8
Ethel 7
Lydia 7

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Healey surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 355
William 241
James 204
Thomas 189
George 133
Joseph 95
Charles 69
Henry 61
Patrick 53
Edward 52
Michael 52
Robert 46
Samuel 46
Alfred 44
Arthur 33
Albert 26
Richard 26
Frederick 24
Daniel 23
Walter 23
Herbert 22
Francis 18
Harry 18
Frank 16
David 15
Peter 14
Ernest 13
Dennis 12
Edwin 12
Benjamin 11
Thos. 11
Wm. 10
Fred 9
Martin 9
Andrew 8
Matthew 8
Edmund 7
Isaac 7
Stephen 7
Bernard 6
Philip 6
Tom 6
Christopher 5
Abraham 4
Jas. 4
Jeremiah 4
Joshua 4
Luke 4
Mathew 4
Willie 4

FAQ

Healey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Healey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,880 people were recorded with the Healey surname. That placed it at #913 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Healey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,744 in 2016. That gives Healey a modern rank of #857.

What does the Healey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "healing wood" or "healthy wood" in Old English.

What does the Healey map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Healey bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.